Wire-stretcher



A. JOHNSON.

Patented May 6, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHIEET 1.

, WIRE STRETCHEB.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY I6. l9l7. 1,303,067.

A. JOHNSON.

WIRE STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16. 19:].

I 1,303,067. Patented May 6, 1919,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Johnson ALFRED JOHNSON, 0F SHEVLIIT, MINNESOTA.

-WIRE-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedMay 6, 1919.

Application filed May 16, 1917. Serial No. 169,015.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shevlin, in the county of Clearwater and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire- Stretchers; and I do hereby declare the fol lowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in Wirestretchers.

The object of this invention is to provide a device, which is used to stretch all kinds of wires for wire fences at different times,

preparatory to stapling said wires to a post.

A further object of this invention is to provide a supporting member, which is adaptedto be embedded in the ground at a spaced distance to the end post, upon which the fence wire is adapted to be secured, means extending from the stretching post and engaging the wires to be secured to the fencepost so as to stretch them preparatory to stapling them to the post;

A still further object of this invention is to provide a stretching post, which has a slidable block, which carries a shaft to which is attached a wire clamping means, which is adapted to have the strands of wire secured thereto so that they may be effectively stretched prior to stapling them to the post.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a stretching member having a sliding block carrying a shaft, means for holding the bearing block adjusted on' the stretching post, braces pivotally secured to the stretching post and to the end posts upon which the wire is adapted to be secured, thus rigidly supporting the stretching post in spaced relation with the fence post.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device of this character, which will be simple, practical and comparatively inexpensive in construction, and one that can be manufactured and sold at a low cost.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the 'novel combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and set forth in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of my improved wire stretcher as assembled and ready for use, i

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same,

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 8-3 of Fig. 1, i

Fig. A is a top plan view of the stretching post in section, illustrating one of the bracing rods, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the stretching member, n

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view illustrating the manner in which the bearing block is held adjusted within the stretching post,

' Fig. is a side elevation of the wire clamp,

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the adjustable band to facilitate the securing of the bearing block in various distances within the post.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a supporting or stretching post and it is shown-spaced laterally and at some distance from the fence post designated B, upon which the wires C are to be stapled as at D.

The supporting standard or post comprises the spaced vertical side walls2, which have their lower ends converging as at 3 to define an insertion point 4, which facilitates the embedding of one end of the post or standard. in the ground. The post is provided adjacent its lower end with a horizontal block 5 and laterally extending lugs 6 which are arranged on opposite sides thereof as shown in Fig. 5, the side walls 2 are provided adjacent their lower ends and centrally of the side edges thereof with alined transverse openings 'L'the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fully described.

The openings 7 are located adjacent the horizontal shoulder 5, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

A cap 8 is secured to the upper open end to the upper edges of the sides 20f the standard or post 1. A bearing block 9 is slidably arranged between the sides 2 of the post 1 and is provided centrally with-transverse screwthreaded openings '10, which are adapted to extend parallel with thesides 2 as shown.

An .adjusting or tightening band 11 is substantially rectangular in cross section and is slidably arranged vover'the-sides2 and is provided in its front and rear walls with alined openings 12, which are adapted to receive transversely therein, the exterior screwthreaded shaft 13. The shaft 13 is screwthreadedly fitted through the openings 12 of-the adjusting'band 11 and through the opening 10 in the bearing block'9, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Crank handles 1a are screwthreadedly mounted in the'sides of the adjusting band 11 at diametrically opposite points and at rights angles to the openings 12 and adapted to be threaded into engagement with the side walls2 for urging the sides into engagement with the bearing block 9 for adjustably supporting the same in various positions about the length ofthe side walls 2 of the supporting post 1, thus facilitating the locating of the shaft 13 in alinement with the ends of the wires O of the fence, thus it can be seen that either-of the wires'C can be stretched to the desired position preparatory to the stapling of the same to the post B as shown in Fig. 1.

' An operating wheel 15 is secured to the outer end of the shaft as at 16 to facilitate the rotating of the shaft and moves the shaft inwardly or outwardly with relation to the bearing block'9 and adjusting band 11. The inner end of the shaft terminates into'an eye 17, to which is connected one end of the flexible chain 18.

A circular supportingplate 19 has formed on its periphery a swiveled connection 20, which is connected to the free end ofthe flexible chain 18. A pair of cam shaped members 21 are eccentrically pivoted'to'one side face of the circular plate 19 and in close proximity to each other and are adapted to securely clamp the wires C between their opposing faces to facilitate the holding of the wire when the shaft 13 is moved outwardly away from the post B so as to effectively stretch the wire preparatory and prior to the stapling of the .same to the post B as shown. I

-A pair of reinforcing andbracing rods 22 are pivotally secured to the post 1 and adjusting band llrespectively at one end and 'have their opposite ends terminating into circular post engaging members 23, which post engaging members 23 are adapted to engage the post B and retain the post or standard 1 in spaced relation to the post B and hold th same against tilting during the stretching action of the wires. The lower brace 22 has its end bifurcated as at 24 to provide the diverging arms, the terminals of which extend forwardly and parallel with one another, and are pivotally secured as at 25 to the inner sides of the members 2 through the medium of the openings 7 by bolts 26, which extend through the openings 7 in the sides 2, and the parallel'ends'o'f the arms 27 of-the lower brace 22 are located in close proximity to the horizontal block 5 so that when thesameis inra-h'orizontal position, it will rest upon the block .5, :thus limiting the downward movement of the same, it i being understood that when the deviceis not in use, it'isionly necessarytoraise the brace upwardlyand position the same between the'spaced sides 2 of the post 1. The upper rbrace 22 has oneend bifurcated as at'28 and the terminals :of the arms are pivotall-y secured "as "at 29 'to-"the ears 30, which are formed on one side ofthe'adjusting band 11 as shown in Figs. 2 and l 8.

n operation, the point 41 of the post *1 is embedded in theground and 'the'lugsfi'engaging "the surface of=the ground limit the inward movement of the samefthe cap facilitating' the'drivin'gofthe same in with ahammer, sledge or the'like. The arms 22 are arranged in a horizonta'l position and are'engaged' against the post B as shownythe wires C have their ends arranged-between thecams 21, the wheel 15 is rotated in a counter clockwise direction, thusmoving'thef shaft outwardlythroughthe screw threaded openings in the bearing 9 I of the adjustable band 11, thus the wire isstretchedand stapled as at to the postB, it beingunderstood that it is only'necessary :to loosen'the members '14 and adj ust the bearing 9upwardly or downwardly between the sides 2 to-locate the inner end ofthe shaft 13' directlyinalinement withthe ends of the'wires C, thus tightening the members 141 and holding the bearing 9 in this position; VVhen itis desiredto'release the wire after being stretbhedfit ;is

thereof, a block slidable between said side members, a screw shaft operable through said bl'bck and extending through'the band, means for attaching one end 5 of the screw rod, the brace rod carried by the band being shaft to a wire to be stretched, a brace rod pivotally secured between said side members adjacent said web and so positioned as to engage the web and be supported thereby in horizontal position when in its lowermost position, and a brace rod pivotally secured to said band and corresponding approximately in length to the first mentioned brace readily lowered into engagement with a fence post with which the first mentioned brace rod is engaged.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

W. J. KoLB, movable about a horizontal axis so as to be PETER SKJEMEN.

Conic: of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addrelsing the Commiuioner ot Patentl,

Washington, D. 0. 

